• COUNCIL CAMPAIGN FOUL PLAY
• NEWS AND INTERVIEWS
• A PLEDGE OF TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS
• ENDORSEMENTS OF MARGARET CONNELL FOR CITY COUNCIL
FOUL PLAY: In the last weeks, deceptive glossy flyers have been sent to Goleta households. They have a return address of the mail box #238, 5662 Calle Real. That turns out to be the UPS station! There's no other identification of who's the "coalition for a healthier Goleta", nor any indication of who's doing the funding. We can guess, and this is what Travis Armstrong, editorial editor of the Santa Barbara News-Press, wrote on October 16:
...The mailers are meant to trick voters into supporting the campaigns of City Council candidates Jean Blois and Don Gilman. Other mailers will aim to confuse voters into believing certain groups support Goleta Water Board candidates Larry Mills and Harry DeWitt. All the apparent deception is courtesy of a political action committee associated with the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Goleta chamber and affiliate outfits over the past several years have brought a kind of politicking to Goleta that has lowered the level of civil discourse. ...
For the complete op-ed, click here.
News story in the Santa Barbara Independent on October 14 "Goleta City Council Candidates Decry Negative Ad Campaign":
...“In the last week, Goleta voters have been deluged with thousands of dollars in negative and misleading advertising,” said a visibly incensed Connell at a press conference on Tuesday. “Voting by mail began a week ago, and the public still has no idea who or what this group is or the source of its money.” Both Connell and (Goleta Council candidate Ed) Easton were adamant that they are not in favor of the current (revenue neutrality) agreement, and that increasing density along the Hollister corridor was something all members of the Goleta City Council voted for to satisfy the state housing mandate....
For the complete Indy story, click here.
For the 10/21 Indy follow-up, "Phantom PAC Materializes", click here.
In addition to being factually misleading, the producer(s) of the flyer stole from this Web site the photo of Margaret Connell. Everything on this site is copyrighted; photos used are the copyrighted work of Kate Connell and are so identified. No permission was asked for or given.
NEWS AND INTERVIEWS
11/5: Connell, Easton Claim Seats on Goleta City Council
"Two years after a business-friendly majority was elected to the Goleta City Council, Margaret Connell and Ed Easton were voted into office Tuesday, signaling a return of the slow-growth majority that had led the city since its inception in 2002. ..." Noozhawk — November 5.
11/2: Easton, Connell campaign signs disappear in Goleta race - Volunteer accuses candidate's wife of taking them at one property, SBN-P story: click here.
"Campaign signs for Margaret Connell, Ed Easton and Don Gilman have disappeared during the final days of the already heated Goleta City Council races. ...
"It was a misunderstanding over who had permission to post signs. I don't have any further comment," said Ms. Connell by phone. But she added she felt all four candidates have acted in a civil manner in the race. ..."
10/31: Connell, Easton denounce PAC ad, Goleta Valley Voice, click here.
10/28: Goleta candidates decry dirty politics, The Daily Sound:
"... Two candidates, former Councilmember Margaret Connell and Planning Commissioner Ed Easton, filed a complaint with state officials yesterday alleging a political action committee has failed to file campaign disclosure forms required by law. ...
Connell said the main problem is the coalition’s failure to provide information about its financial backers or its leadership.
'They must report who is financing their campaign and how they are spending their money,” she said. “This kind of outrageous flouting of the Fair Political Practices Commission rules makes for a sicker Goleta, not a healthier Goleta.' ..." (click here for the rest of the article)
10/26: BACKING AWAY FROM BISHOP RANCH? The Santa Barbara News-Press asked candidates for Goleta City Council: What do you want to be done with Bishop Ranch, if anything? Margaret replied, giving her opinion:
...The Bishop Ranch plan (of 1,200 housing units and 90,000 square feet of commercial development) would result in major traffic impacts at already busy intersections. The (Encino-based Larwin) company's request for a rezone from agriculture to mixed use was withdrawn when it was clear there was no support for it at this time on the council. But we can expect it to return as soon as the developer sees the votes are there to move it ahead. Agricultural land is a non-renewable resource. Let's hold on to what we have.
For Margaret's complete response, click here. Please see also Margaret's three articles in The Santa Barbara Independent on the Bishop Ranch and issues related, linked on this site here.
For Jean Blois's response, click here. For Ed Easton's response, click here. For Don Gilman's response click here.
10/19: BOXED OUT? The Santa Barbara News-Press asked candidates for Goleta City Council: Do you support bringing a Target or other big box store to Goleta. If so, where? Margaret replied, giving her opinion:
...A few years ago, there was a movement to bring a Target here, with its quality, affordable clothing. Where could it go? The one available large site is the 22 acres across from the Camino Real Marketplace. But this is a needed housing site. And if Target comes, what next? Do we really want Goleta to become a factory outlet town like you see up and down Highway 101 when you leave the South Coast? Goleta has benefited greatly from the sales tax revenues from the Marketplace. But it would be a mistake to go further in this direction. Let's keep Goleta's shopping on a personal, human scale....
For Margaret's complete response, click here.
For Jean Blois's response, click here. For Ed Easton's response, click here. For Don Gilman's response click here.
10/14: Noozhawk ran a series of Q & As with the Council candidates. Here is the start of Margaret's replies:
NOOZHAWK: What do you love most about Goleta?
MARGARET CONNELL: I love its openness with views of the mountains everywhere; that from almost anywhere in the city it is possible to walk in natural areas, whether it is the Sperling Preserve, Los Carneros Park or a trail along a creek; that we have businesses ranging from high-tech industries to small trade stores; that traffic, while bad at some intersections is not overwhelming; that we have good schools and residents who volunteer and contribute to the community in many different ways....
Please click here for the full Q & A; please visit also Margaret's Issues pages, here and here.
For the Q & As with the other Council candidates, click on the names: Jean Blois, Ed Easton, Don Gilman.
MARGARET'S PLEDGE: CAMPAIGN TRANSPARENCY
It's important for the voters to know who is giving the larger donations. Up until two weeks before the election, all donations, with names, addresses and employment of those above $100, are a matter of record at the County Elections office. After that point, there will be no public listing until January!
In the spirit of openness Margaret pledges to list all the names of people making donations of $250 or more on this Web site. Please see our contributions page where they will be listed within a day or so of receipt.
We urge that all campaigns and candidate-supporting PACs do similarly on each candidate's Web site.
Margaret is honored to receive the endorsement of The Santa Barbara Independent and that of many, many Goleta residents
FOR
CITY COUNCIL:
Margaret Connell and Ed Easton
If the citizens of Goleta are suffering a collective case of whiplash these days, it’s been caused by all the political backlash they’ve endured in recent years. First there was the just-say-no NIMBYism of the original council. Then, last election, the Bacara and various business interests nakedly bought themselves a new council majority. While such herky-jerky makes for good headlines, it makes for bad politics and even worse government.
We’re confident that Margaret Connell—a longtime resident and former councilmember (and, full disclosure, former Independent columnist) —and planner Ed Easton bring to the fore the requisite temperament, respect, and skill sets to turn the volume down. Goletans are facing some real tough choices—they’d be helped with the addition of these two, who know that listening is often more important than talking.
For more endorsements, please see our supporters page
